Rivals Torn
by Silas C
Summary: One shot. Michiru adores Haruka, secretly. Haruka adores Michiru, secretly. [Complete]


Rivals Torn

By Silas C.

**The H&M Chronicles**

_One shot_

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**Summary: **Michiru adores Haruka, secretly. Haruka adores Michiru, secretly. One shot.

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**Disclaimer: **Sailor Moon, of course, doesn't belong to me. But if I was super rich I would buy the rights to Sailor Moon and create a season particularly devoted to Haruka and Michiru.

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**Author's Note:** Last of the H&M Chronicles. This is a one shot. Unless I get really bored. Anyways, this was something I wrote a couple months ago. I suppose this was me being silly.

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**(( Michiru's POV ))**

Michiru saw her whole life as if reading out of some large print book. It didn't matter how blind someone was in the face of reality; anyone could figure out her true nature if only they chose to see it. Most of the time, Michiru attempted to allow others to see a special side of her but, they were too disillusioned by the misfortune her fame had brought her, to actually see her for the person she was. Occasionally there would be a person slightly interested in the mystery beneath her mask but of course, their interest was limited and for her, they were never the right 'one'. In all situations however, there wasn't a soul that she had met, nor at this point cared to meet, that would ever understand her. Michiru resigned to the simple fact that she would have endure this burden alone. Perhaps it was sad or perhaps it was fate unraveling before her. In either case, Michiru had grown accustomed to the growing emptiness within her and instead of running from it, she sought to fill it with the very thing that brought her misfortune to begin with: fame. Michiru had to laugh. Her life was more ironic than she cared to admit.

"Michiru?"

Ah, but how could she forget? Michiru laughed once more. Hope couldn't be lost yet. Ever since she had met her concert partner, Michiru had developed strange feelings, unlike that she had felt for anyone else. Of course, there was much to be desired in her partner: stunning beauty, radiant personality, lack of want for materialistic things but above all, a devilishly cute grin. There was one set back, nonetheless, one that couldn't be undermined simply for the sake of being one. Haruka Tenou was Michiru's Kaioh's bitter rival. They fought continuously and it became so routine that if there was a day they didn't fight, everyone was worried.

"Michiru! You're such a nuisance. Can't you ever be on time?" Haruka asked as she peeked inside of the dressing room.

Yes, fight they did, indeed. Michiru could remember some pretty intense battles with the sandy haired blonde and they would normally turned out as one would expect: terrible. That wasn't her fault though. Haruka was absolutely like hell to get along with. If it wasn't one thing then it was surely another. Rarely, there were times that she would like to note that their battles weren't as fierce… wait… perhaps they were so rare she hadn't seen one yet. Michiru shrugged. It still wasn't her fault.

"Oi, Michiru!" Haruka flashed a smile as one of her fans ran by but that smile didn't last long. For once she had finished her pleasantries with the beautiful young girl, Haruka was back to burning Michiru on the stake. "Michiru, if you're not out of there in twenty seconds, I'm coming in and dragging you out here." Haruka closed the door in a rather rude manner but these things were of very little concern to Michiru.

Hmm… there was something she was leaving out. Oh, yes. Did she forget to mention Haruka was a ladies' woman? How could she not be? Those striking emerald eyes… with a grin that would make any girl blush… soft skin… slender long legs… a masculine yet feminine build… tempting, sinful lips…

"Ten, nine, eight…"

That was something that Michiru could never bring herself to understand. That is to say, Haruka more often than not, hid her true gender from most everyone. Michiru normally didn't care because the blonde was attractive no matter how she tried to justify it, but sometimes the thought would cross her mind… did she ever have the courage to ask? Certainly not. Haruka was already burning her at the stake for being late. What would happen if she tried to ask a simple question? Haruka would probably burn her at the stake for the next ten thousand of her lifetimes. Really, it was that bad. Michiru knew it would get better … but only if one of them succeeded in dying. Then their relationship would flourish. Well, okay, not really. Because chances were, if Haruka died before her, then Haruka would be waiting on the other side until she herself died, then Haruka would burn her at the stake.

Either way, she burned at the stake.

"four, three, two…"

'_Oh that's right.' _Michiru had completely spaced out the fact that she was entirely naked and Haruka was about to… too late.

Haruka's eyes widened more than they needed to but Michiru could only manage a giggle. It wasn't her fault. Truly! If Haruka wasn't so stubborn she was sure they wouldn't be in this awkward position.

"Michiru, I don't care if you're naked or dressed! You're going on stage." Haruka closed the door behind her, having some decency to be expected of herself and then waited with her arms folded across her chest.

"Why don't you give me a few moments?" Michiru asked slyly.

"No! That's how this all started to begin with. You wanted a 'few moments' and then you ended up taking thirty minutes! I'm sure with that starry eyed look on your face you're probably thinking of some ridiculous boy."

Michiru blushed. "Well, I didn't think this … 'boy' … was so ridiculous."

"Sure he is." Haruka asserted as she tried to look everywhere but Michiru. "Michiru, I'm not looking directly at you… but I can tell you're still not getting dressed."

"Mmhmm. You see, there's a problem with that." Michiru flashed a grin towards her rival and pointed to her dress. "I need someone to help me into this." Haruka clenched her fists and then proceeded to rub her temples. "Unless you want to wait for a few more moments…"

"Never! So you can think of that stupid boyfriend? Forget it." Haruka finally obliged to Michiru's wishes and helped her into the dress.

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**(( Haruka's POV ))**

Stupid, stupid, stupid. There was a reason she hated her manager. There was a very good reason. And her name was Michiru Kaioh. The very name sent Haruka into fits of anger only satiated by time away from the damn woman. How could her manager have picked someone like HER to be her partner? Did she have a 'torture me please' sign on her forehead? She would have loved to simply burn Michiru at the stake. Not just for a couple things… FOR EVERYTHING. Haruka rubbed her temples as she finished being yelled at. It was always Michiru's fault. Every time they got in trouble for being late in a concert, everyone blamed it on Haruka because Michiru was simply too sweet. But NO! Did they ever think it was Michiru probably still naked in the dressing room because she was thinking of some stupid boy?

Haruka practically stomped her feet on the way to Michiru's dressing room. Maybe if she made some noise, Michiru would come out of the daze she was always in. Ah, who was she kidding? If she had to hear anyone else rip her out for being unfashionably late than she would be forced to do nothing more than… than… possibly burn them at the stake too. That's what Haruka loved to do. Burning people at the stake. Not literally of course! But, it was something she said she liked to do to instill fear within people. Come to think of it, it never worked. Haruka shrugged.

'_Whatever…' _The blonde turned the door knob to Michiru's dressing room only to find it was unlocked. _'Real smart Michiru, leave your door unlocked while you're dressing… what sort of messages are you trying to send out?' _

"Michiru?" The blonde tried to sound as pleasant as possibly. Normally, her amiability would fade out after the first sentence so she tried to make it the nicest sentence that came out of her mouth. Okay, well, it wasn't nice… it was simply not mean. _'I should burn her at the stake next lifetime too…' _Haruka thought as she watched her manager start walking towards her from the end of the hall. Haruka had to time this perfectly to avoid having to talk to her manager about why they were late. The blonde glanced at her watch. _'Let's see, I have about twenty nine point five seconds…' _

"Oi, Michiru!" Haruka noticed one of her fans pass by and smiled to them, accidentally opening Michiru's door farther than she wanted. The blonde exchanged pleasantries with the fan as quickly as possibly, signing an autograph as well, and then the fan was off into the sunset… _'Oh yeah! Running out of time… that's where I left off at…'_ "Michiru, if you're not out of there in twenty seconds, I'm coming in and dragging you out here." Haruka closed the door in a rather rude manner but she knew these things were of very little concern to Michiru.

The blonde began to sweat as she noticed her manager close the distance between them. There were so many things she wanted to say to Michiru right about that point like: "I quit" or possibly "I hate you" or even "you stink like a shoe" or more truthfully "I'm going to burn you at the stake." Haruka leaned against the door absolutely wanting to throw a fit. This was almost certainly the most painful ten seconds she had to endure.

"Ten, nine, eight…" Haruka shouted as if it would actually phase Michiru; she knew it wouldn't but it was worth a shot, wasn't it? Haruka noticed the manager was a lot closer than she predicted… what would it matter if she skipped a few numbers? Michiru surely wasn't paying attention to her. "Uh, four, three, two…" Haruka opened the door just before her manager could lay fingers on her and abruptly shut it in the face of her manager. She smiled at her victory but was taken a back by the fact that Michiru was pretty much naked. Haruka blushed for a few moments and then realized her stupidity. In all the time she had been waiting, was her wait in vain? Haruka's burning inferno seemingly had ten tons of gasoline put on it. Now all hell was sure to break loose.

"Michiru, I don't care if you're naked or dressed! You're going on stage." Haruka folded her arms across her chest, pouting. She hated being mean but with Michiru? It was like the girl didn't prefer it any other way…

"Why don't you give me a few more moments…?" Michiru asked in a very seductive manner. Haruka hated when Michiru used her charm against her. Although Haruka was strong, Michiru had the power to charm her even with such discipline. For that to be possible… was Michiru irresistible? She made all the boys blush that's for sure. But, how could she not?

Oh, with those profound bottomless depth of teal eyes… those sweet, tender lips… those radiant tresses and locks of aqua-marine… the scent of the most beautiful woman on earth… the charm of the most beautiful woman in the universe… was it even close to possible to resisting Michiru? She was multifaceted. Like one of those handy dandy thingamabobs that you see on TV commercials that could do just about everything no matter what! Yes, that was Michiru. She was a thingamabob and Haruka wouldn't deny it. But still, even through that dazzling personality, successful career as a violinist and the lavish life that she must have lived…

Haruka still wanted to burn her on the stake. This time it was mostly because Michiru was probably thinking about some stupid boy, very much the same way she had been thinking of some stupid girl… maybe they had more in common than she wanted to admit.

"No! That's how this all started to begin with. You wanted a 'few moments' and then you ended up taking thirty minutes! I'm sure with that starry eyed look on your face you're probably thinking of some ridiculous boy."

Haruka examined the rosy tint of Michiru's cheeks and concluded that it was the sole indicator that she was right. "Well, I didn't think this … 'boy' … was so ridiculous."

"Sure he is." Haruka asserted, doing her best to ignore the fact that she had a naked girl in front of her and as much as she would have liked to look, she couldn't bring herself to glance at her most bitter rival. Finally, the blonde was annoyed with the fact that the aqua-haired girl still wasn't making progress. "Michiru, I'm not looking directly at you… but I can tell you're still not getting dressed."

"Mmhmm. You see, there's a problem with that." Michiru flashed a grin at her, one that she often used on other girls when she planned to seduce them. Haruka knew she was going to be in for a ride. Even if she declined to help, Michiru would surely lay her a trap and force her to. "I need someone to help me into this." Haruka balled up her fists, absolutely angry that she was right. "Unless you want to wait for a few more moments…"

Haruka wanted to explode. This woman wasn't only impossible, she was worse! If there was ever such a thing. "Never! So you can think of that stupid boyfriend? Forget it." Haruka reluctantly did as Michiru said, knowing that she had no other choice. The blonde remained calm as thoughts of a stake came into mind…

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Michiru had been busy getting ready when she heard the sound of melancholy in a distant but not so distant place. The soft, gentle, music invaded her senses. It held no happiness, no hope, simply melancholy in its darkest form. Michiru finished putting on the necklace that was given to her by Haruka, when they first met. There was no need for her to be fooled; the blonde didn't give it to her out of kindness, Haruka had bestowed the gift upon her for political reasons. Michiru heard the sharp call of sadness scream to her, calling her to the origins of such horribly beautiful notes. The aqua-haired girl turned off the lights in her dressing room knowing she probably wouldn't be back for a while. Then, reluctantly she closed the door, still interested in the owner of the music that was carefully being constructed.

What had called her to this music? Except the fact that she could relate to the emotion being emitted from what sounded like a viola. Each note struck her with the same blow as the one before, longing for something further, no, needing something more. It was as if the faint music appealed to her so much that she desired to live off of it. What she wouldn't do to have such a dream come true; she would trade her life supply of air to hear this endless havoc that was wrought, renewing the turmoil within her heart. Michiru painfully made her way to the stage she had performed upon no less than an hour ago. Everything had gone dark with the exception of one last light that shone brightly on an individual. Michiru lost her breath at the sudden realization of who the owner of the tragically exquisite song was.

Instead of acting as she normally did, with folly and immaturity, Michiru approached the musician as if she were walking on eggshells. There was no reason to disturb the melancholy that she had grown accustomed to hearing and feeling in the depths of her soul. Michiru didn't feel the need to stop the music that had become her air, no, instead she desired to become one with it. The aqua-haired woman glanced down at the violin case she had been holding. It had been quite some time that she had played as Haruka was playing now. But could she resist the urge to allow her emotions to take over? Her music was also carefully planned, not by her, but determined by others. She had little say in what she could actually play, and now? Now she was afraid of what would happen if she did.

Melancholy, true melancholy at its best form continued to be emitted from the unsuspecting musician before her. It only heightened as time passed and it only called for Michiru even more. This time, Michiru could hear the tears of the viola, the tears of the musician, the tears of Haruka Tenou. It broke her heart to see such a wonderful musician resign to such bittersweet emotions. Michiru, not being able to resist anymore, pulled out the magnificent glass violin that was created entirely for her. Michiru knew this was yet another senseless gift from Haruka, but she almost wished that it hadn't been. With much patience and careful decision, Michiru joined the melancholy, adding a twist of her own embittered emotions into the piece. They played without a sense of time, alone on that stage. Nothing mattered to either of them as they conformed to each other's sound and began to understand each other's emotions.

It was when the wind blew fiercely that both of them ceased playing. Haruka put some distance between her and the viola as she looked upon it with sense of longing. Michiru too felt the same way, as always, but she never knew that someone could share this feeling of eternal emptiness; a void that would refuse to be filled.

"Haruka, I didn't know you could play like that." Michiru glanced down at her glass violin. No one had ever dared to infuse so much emotion in their music and if they did, they were careful with whom they chose to share it with. "It was beautiful."

Haruka didn't say much in response. Michiru figured now was the best time to make her leave; according to Haruka's body language, she was sure the tall, striking blonde wanted nothing to do with her at this point. It was almost intrusive what Michiru had done and it was after the fact, that she regretted walking in on Haruka's melancholy.

"Please don't leave." Haruka replied as if a lost child without a mother. The blonde looked in the direction of where their audience sat not too long ago. All of those people, cheering, screaming, throwing roses at their feet. All of those people and not one of them shared the true feelings embedded deep within her heart. Was it wrong of her to hate them to a point of depression? She was surrounded constantly by people and struggled to stay away from them. They had become the illness to which she had no immunity; they were the ones that suppressed the voice of her heart, even if it was indirectly. Haruka knew that being a musician was a business and that she could only play what the fans wanted to hear. But none of them possessed or could possibly dream of comprehending the bittersweet emotions she strived to suppress, every day in her insignificant and pointless life. None of them except Michiru. Haruka averted her eyes to the aqua-haired girl, standing confused but sad, all the same. "Please don't leave me, Michiru."

There wasn't a response that Michiru could find to counter the soft tone in Haruka's voice. The blonde was standing six feet before her and yet, she had never felt so far from her rival than she had now. Now she had longed to see the other side of Haruka, the one that hated her so. For even when she was hated by the blonde, nothing was worse than to see Haruka possessing a heightened level of despondency. Michiru would turn reality inside out if it meant that Haruka would simply smile. It was in this moment that Michiru had realized that it was possible for someone to possess the feelings that she had felt her entire life. It was in this moment that Michiru realized that she had never hated Haruka.

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End

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